Sterilizer



Aug, 24, 1943. 1 A. HEINTZELMAN STERILIZER Filed Dec. 22, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f l z f f Patented ug. 24, 1943 STERILIZER Leo A. Heini-zalman, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application December 22, 1942, Serial No. 469,829

y 4 Claims.

My invention relates toimprovements inl sterilizers for use more particularly in sterilizing dental and surgical instruments, although, as will presently appear, it is equally' well adapted for sterilizing other classes and various other types of implements.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an efcient, simply constructed device for sterilizing such instruments by immersion in hot water and chemicals under constant agitation, and which is economical to operate, requires a minimum of servicing, provides for maximum convenience as regards placing instruments therein and removing the same therefrom'and for maximum capacity as regards the number of instruments which may be sterilized, while at the same time being comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. y

Other and subordinate objects' are also cornprehended by my invention, all of which, togetherwith the precise nature of my improvements and advantages thereof,l will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to thedrawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings: y

Figure 1 is a view in vertical central section of my improved sterilizer,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary similar section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a View in transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, in the illustrated, preferred embodiment thereof, my improved sterilizer comprises an upright, cylindrical casing including a lower section I forming a mechanism housing, and an upperdeeper section 2 forming a sterilizing chamber.`

The lower section I includes a closed bottom 3 and is seated in a circular recess 4 in a suitable circular base 5. A diametrical, intermediate partition 6 is provided in the lower section I, and an annular, internal, radial flange 'I spaced slightly below the upper end of 'saidsection Between the partition 6 and the flange 1, an oblique transverse partition 8 extends across sraidsection 'and nclines downwardly towards what constitutes the front side of thesterilizer. The lower section I may be formed of any suitable light, strong plastic, or metal, together with the base 5.

The upper section 2 ts, at its lower end, into the upper end of the lowersection I, seats on the flange 'I, and is preferably formed of glass. A suitable liquid `tight seal, not shown, maybe provided between the lower end of the upper section 2 and the upper end of the lower section I. A short cylindrical band 9, of Suitable light metal, is slidably fitted on the upper end of the upper section 2, said band having an internal upper edge flange I0 adapted to seat on the upper edge of the upper section 2. The band 9 is removable from the upper section 2, as will be clear. A dome-type, preferably metal lid II is hinged, as at I2, to the band 9 at the rear side of the sterilizer and provided with a front hand grip I3. Fitted in the bottom of the upper section 2 is a pair of circular, upper and lower, forarninous plates I4 and I5 vertically spaced close together, the lower plate I5 seating on the flange 'I and having an annular lateral edge flange IG supporting the plate I4 which is provided With a similar flange II. Both plates I4, I5 are slidably fitted in the upper section 2 for a purpose presently seen, and the flanges I6, I1 form wide bearing surfaces to prevent the plates from binding in the section 2 during sliding of the same in said section.

In the rear portion of the upper section 2 is an opstanding lifter rod I8 having the lower end thereof suitably secured to the rear portion of the upper plate I4 rigidly, as at I9, and including a short upper section 2i) pivoted at its lower end, as at 2I, to a rearwardly breaking joint in the rod I8, the upper end of said section 20 being right angled, as at 22, and having a bearing in a loop 23 rigidly fixed in the lid II, in any suitable manner, the arrangement being such that under opening of the lid II, the rod I8 will be moved thereby upwardly to lift the top plate I4 in the upper section 2 a distance such that said plate may be readily reached by the hand through the top of the upper section 2. A right angled guide bracket 24 depends from the flange III in the upper end of the upper section 2 and extends forwardly immediately in the rear of the rod I8. The bracket 24 is provided with a grooved front end guide 25 straddling the rod I8 below the joint thereof, whereby said rod is braced against rearward bending under rearward pull thereon caused by breaking of the described joint therein.

Intermediate the guide bracket 24 and the upper plate I4, a forwardly curved, bar-like, resilient support 26 extends transversely across the lifter rod I8 and is detachably attached thereto by a vertical base rod 21 and screws 28 extending fro-n1 opposite ends of said bar and into said rod. The front ends of the support 26 are formed into circular and rectangular loops 29 and 29' adapted to receive scissors or the like inserted downwardly therein. Behind the loops 29, 29 other instruments, as at 39, may be clamped in the support by spreading the ends thereof apart to grip such instruments therebetween.

Above the support 26 a foraminous, elongated container 26 of trough-like form, Iand any suitable material, extends transversely across the rod I8 and is suitably secured thereto for containing other instruments. Still other :instruments, as will be understood, maybe deposited on the upper plate le. Returning now to the bottom section i, the partition E forms therein a lower motor chamber 3i, the partitions 6 and 8 a heater chamber 32 therein, and the partition 8 and lower plate l 5 an agitator chamber 3'3 with an apertured top and a downwardly and forwardly sloping bottom. A front drain cock 34 is provided in the section l at the low pointof the chamber 33.

'A 'motor Y35 'is centered .in ythe chamber Si on levelingr `screw bolts Sii extending .upwardly through the base -and `the -bottom of the lower section i with jamb nuts thereon, as-at-Sl. `The armature shaft 3S `of kthe motor .as extends upwardly through lthe 'partition .6, axiallywoi the lower section i and ythrough a -socket-Slinthe partiti-on 3 and a bushing to in -said socket -to terminate in the --agitating .chamber 33. Asuitable bladed agitator 1li, -of lthe .propeller type, is fixed von the fshaft'iin said .chamber 33 with blades pitched to act `u-pfvardly against liquid in saidchamber. y

An electric heating .coil E2 extends `forwardly frcmttherear side of the'lower. section l intothe heating chamber 3l. The motor 35 and coil 7i? may beiconneoted, Tin 'any-.suitable mannen'ina house circuit, not shown, or-othersource of electrical energy. Amotor `and coil control switch bo-X llis is provided on the outside of the lower section il 'to -be suitably .connectedin said circuit.

lReferring now to the use-and operation of v'the described invention, the agitator "chamber 33' and upper section .2 'a'rell'ed with waterto substantally theu'pper end'of said Vsection 2 with-any suitablesterilizing chernic'alof commerce deposited `in 'the water, Ithe sterilizin'g chamber "being, or" course 'i'rst loaded with instruments '.in a mannerwhichwill "be clear from the foregoing description. The'water and chemicals maybe heated "through the medium of the fheater 4"2 :in a manner which will becle'ar. Operationl'of-'the motor "35 'causes the agitator il tomaintain'the water and chemicals constantly vagitated 'so as to .create currents therein eiectin'g a washing action on the'instruments within the sterilizin'g chamber. After vthe linstruments have been immersed Vfor a sufficient period "or time, the viid fl l may be opened to elevate the container' 26,"sup port26 and bottom'plate 'it so -thatinstruments supported by those elements y,may Vbe readily reached-through-the.upper end of the upper section vv2, i-tbeing understood-that, preferably, .in

this'cperationfthe-sterilizerbe drained by way l of the drain co'ckd. For cleaning purposes,the band .il may .bel-litted 'offthe upper seetionlr2, 1toether withthelid A'i i, rod `brai-zlretfi2fli, co'nt'ainer"26, suppo'rt and upper plate l'll so that the parts enumerated gmay 'be removed. After i the 'designated parts are removed, thelower plate l5 may be-slid upwardly outV of the upper section "2 by ymeansvc'ef any suitableinstrument-and also The foregoing will, it is believed, i suriiceJ tol impart a Clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification as regards structure and relation of parts without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: 1. In a sterilizer for surgical instruments and `the like, a container, means dividing the container transversely into motor, heater, agitator and sterilizing chambers, respectively, arranged one above .the other in the order named, the agi- 'tat'or `chamber having a perforated top establishing'communicaton lbetween said agitator chamber and the sterilizing chamber, and said agitator chamber and sterilizing chamber being adapted to `contain v`sterilizing huid, l a motor insaid motor chamber, 'an agitator 1in said agitator `chamber to which the `motor :is operatively vconnected, an upwardly #open-ing lhinged lid yfor the `.tap of the sterilizing chamber, tand instrument .supporting means in said sterilizing chamber, `connected to said lid `for.lifting,in-astraightline .under .opening of said lid.

.2. `In a ster-ilizer rfor surgical linstruments fand the slike, ya container, :mean-s .dividing '.the .container ytransversely into .motor, Aheater, :agitator and .sterilizng chambers, .,respectively, arranged oneabove -the-othernin theorder named, .the` agitator .chamber having .a perforated top `establishing communication .between .said vagitator chamber and .the sterilizing chamber, .andsaid agitator chamber .and steriliz'ing chamber being adapted to contain steril'izing `uid,\a motor in said motor chambenan agitator 1in said agitator Chamberto which ythenidtor is operatively connecte'd, s an upwardly .opening hinged .lid "for Ithe top .of "the .s'terlizer chamber, instrument '.supporting .means in said steri'lizingg chamber, connected tosaid lidorliftin'g in a straight'line under opening .of said lid, saidsupporting means comprising 'a'lifter rod, including a joint `forming section fixed to said lid, a perforated ,platexed to the rod and vertically slidabl'e'in'saidsterilizing chamber, and means to .guide saidrofd.

3. In a sterilizer for 'surgical instruments :and the like, a container, `means-iidividing the container transverselyiinto"motor, heater, agitator and "sterilizing chambers, respectively, arranged one above the other in the 'order n'amed'thefagitatorich'amb'er havingap'erforat-ed' topestablishing communication 'between `saidagitatorchamber andithesterilizing `Chamb enandsaid'agitator chamber and v`sterilizing chamber Ibeing adapted to containsterilizingfluid,- Aa'motor'in said motor chamben'an'ag'itatorin said agitator lchamber to 'which the 'motor'is-operativelyconnected, ran upwardly 'opening x-liinged lidffor itheitep of fthe sterilizingchamber;instrument@supportingfmeans in sai'd s`teriliz'ing"chamber, connected to =saidlid for lifting iin a 'straight line ur-rden opening f'cf said lid,`said' supporting-means compiifsingwa lifter rod 7depending 1from sai-cl lid f and havinga :break joint *thereinya'nd racks f'xedftofsad @rod crosswisethereof.

"4. `In Y'a sterilizer fior f surgical instruments .and the Ilike, #a container, y'means dividing the ifcont-aner transversely into mctor,heater, Yagitator Yand steriliain-g chambers, respectively, arranged one-above theother 'inftheeordef named, the agitator chamber'-havinglaiperforated topfestablish- 'ingcomn'iunioation betweensaiagitator-:ehamber and the sterilizing chamber, and said agitator chamber and sterilizing chamber being adapted to contain sterilizing uid, a motor in said motor chamber, an agitator in said agitator chamber to which the motor is operatively connected, an upwardly opening hinged lid for the top of the sterilizing chamber, instrument supporting means in said sterilizing chamber, connected to said lid for lifting in a straight line under opening of said lid, and an annular band to which the lid is hinged tting over and seating on the upper end of said container for removal therefrom With said lid and supporting means to remove the lid and withdraw the supporting means from said steriliz ing chamber.

LEO A. HEINTZELMAN. 

